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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26310838">By Any Means Necessary</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/reddie_reeda/pseuds/reddie_reeda'>reddie_reeda</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Inbetweeners</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arguing, Boys Kissing, Cussing, Dialogue Heavy, First Kiss, Fluff, Frenemies, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Secret Crush, Short One Shot, Slash, Surprise Kissing, Teasing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:36:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26310838</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/reddie_reeda/pseuds/reddie_reeda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Will is having a bad day. The last thing he needs is his least favourite friend making things worse. A fluffy one-shot featuring Will and Jay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jay Cartwright/Will McKenzie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>By Any Means Necessary</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This has been burning a hole in my hard drive for many years, mostly because the boys are a little OOC and I don't like the ending. But I guess it's kind of cute, so I finished it and here it is.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been an hour since the final bell had rang, ending another school day. The library was mostly silent, save for the soft sound of rapid typing on a laptop keyboard. Two figures sat together at a rounded table, not speaking or even looking at each other. One was thoroughly engrossed in his laptop screen, while the other was slumped in his chair staring blankly into the middle distance.</p><p>Their Sociology teacher had assigned a project earlier in the week, for students to work in pairs and create posters on different topics. Since Simon had practically fallen over himself to pair with Carli before anyone else had the chance, Will and Jay had been left to begrudgingly team up. After all, it was preferable to facing the inevitable humiliation of having their faces laughed in, had they attempted to forge partnerships with any of their other classmates.</p><p>The two had never worked together before, a conscious decision on both sides. Will hated team-working at the best of times; relying on another person to do a good job made him nervous, especially when the other person was a certifiable idiot. Perhaps that was an unfair judgment. Jay wasn’t exactly stupid. Just rather unmotivated and lackadaisical when it came to schoolwork. Qualities which didn’t exactly make him an appealing project partner in Will’s eyes.</p><p>Accordingly, Will had taken charge and delegated easy jobs to Jay, like selecting images and colour schemes; the kind of thing that would be simple enough to change later, should the other boy make a hash of it. Meanwhile, Will would handle the meatier stuff, such as the actual informative content. That way, the piece of work would pretty much be entirely his, and Jay could earn his grade by agreeing to keep his input minimal.</p><p>Will wasn’t the only one with reservations about their pairing. Sociology was Jay’s least favourite subject anyway; it wasn’t the skive he’d envisioned it to be, involving too much writing and use of big words for his liking. Adding someone as work-oriented and perfection-driven as Will into the mix wasn’t likely to make it any more enjoyable. Briefcase was always so anxious, especially when it came to schoolwork, something Jay had never understood. Save for the odd occasion when he was high on Red Bull and pep pills, the other lad never scored any lower than an A-. And even then, he acted as if it was the end of the world! Will always took life too seriously and just needed to chill the fuck out, in Jay’s opinion.</p><p>Leaning back in his chair, Jay fanned himself with their assignment brief as he looked around. Not that there was much to look at. Just books, really. Jay had never voluntarily spent this long in the library before, and never after school. They were literally the only ones still there! Even the librarian who was meant to be supervising them had buggered off to who knew where. Will, of course, had been the one who insisted on coming here, feeling that Jay would be too easily distracted at home. In fairness, that was probably true. Focusing on boring shit was hard when it felt like there were better things to be doing. No wonder Briefcase was always stressed out; always forcing himself to work so hard on things he likely didn’t give a flying fuck about. Perhaps he could benefit from a little distraction himself.</p><p>Jay’s mind whirred as he turned his attention to Will. The other boy was still hunched over his laptop, shoulders tense, eyes narrowed in concentration. Gripping the corner of the assignment paper between finger and thumb, Jay quietly tore off a piece and rolled it into a pea-sized ball. He flicked it towards Will, smirking as it caught in the other boy’s wavy black hair unnoticed. Another piece followed; roll, flick, hit unnoticed. This continued a dozen or so more times, the balls increasing in size as Jay’s confidence grew. Eventually, one went rogue and struck Will’s cheek, startling him. As he turned his head, a cascade of white pellets rained down upon his shoulders.</p><p>“What the...?”</p><p>“Nice dandruff, Briefcase.”</p><p>Will ran a hand through his hair, causing the remaining paper to fall loose.</p><p>“Fucking hell, Jay! Get on with your work!”</p><p>Jay sniggered at the scowl he was shot, but obligingly returned to sketching the layout for their poster. Will sighed, brushing the offending objects from his lap onto the floor. He really wasn’t in the mood for this. He already felt like shit due to the shitty day he’d just had. While visiting the toilets after lunch, Donovan had managed to trap him inside a cubicle by tampering with the lock. This had caused him to miss all but the last ten minutes of his Literature class by the time he’d built up the courage to climb over the stall to freedom. However, to add literal injury to insult, he’d ended up getting his foot trapped in the toilet bowl of the adjacent cubicle and had banged his elbow as he slipped struggling to pull it out. </p><p>He had been met with laughter when he’d told Gilbert, and had received an equally uproarious response from his friends. Indeed, his day had been shit, and all because some loony chav refused to leave him alone. The last thing he needed was more of the same, reminding him how miserable his existence at school was. The dampness in his shoe and the dull ache in his elbow were reminders enough on their own.</p><p>In a bid to keep any intrusive thoughts at bay, Will decided to count his blessings. Working with Jay was at least preferable to being lumbered with one of the failed abortions he was forced to share classroom space with. And it wasn’t that he disliked Jay. After all, they were friends. Sort of. Will just found him infuriating at times, and he knew the feeling was mutual. But Jay also had the capacity to be alright when he wasn’t out to impress anybody. Of course, he hadn’t exactly been alright thus far, but hopefully he would settle down once he saw that Will wasn’t going to take any of his nonsense.</p><p>After a few moments of silence, Jay let out a groan.</p><p>“Sociology’s boring.”</p><p>“Well, you shouldn’t have chosen to do it as an A Level, should’ve you?”</p><p>Will winced at his own voice, truly not meaning to sound as harsh as he had. Jay didn’t seem too troubled by his outburst but also began making lazy attempts to prod Will’s ear with his pencil in retaliation. Will swatted him away.</p><p>“Give it a rest, will you? We’ve been sat here for nearly an hour now and you’ve barely done anything. We’re never going to get done at this rate! And don’t think for one minute if you don’t do your bit that I’ll just pick up the slack for you, because I won’t! I’ll tell the teacher you weren’t pulling your weight and you can fail for all I care!”</p><p>Jay waved off Will’s ranting. “Calm your tits, Sergeant Stress-head! I’ll do my bit, alright? It’s just hard to get in the zone. I mean, who really gives a fuck about Mark’s Glass theory anyway? I bet even someone as sad as you doesn’t.”</p><p>Will sighed and removed his glasses, gently massaging the migraine brewing behind his temples. “It’s <i>Marx’s class</i> theory. It’s written on the assignment brief in front of you. Or at least it would be, if you hadn’t have flicked pieces of it at me like a dickhead.”</p><p>“I’m just saying that this whole ‘assigned topic’ thing is really harshing my creative process.” That drew a derisive snort from Will. Jay ignored it and continued. “I’d be working much better if we were doing a project on something I was actually interested in.”</p><p>“What, like wanking or... actually, that pretty much covers the extent of your interests, doesn’t it?”</p><p>Jay glared half-heartedly before snatching Will’s glasses up from the table. Feeling too drained to muster much reaction, Will settled for giving his friend a piteous look.</p><p>“Jay, please. It’s been a long day. I really can’t be arsed with you dicking about.”</p><p>“Don’t shit yourself, I’m just having a look.”</p><p>No sooner had Jay slipped the glasses onto his face than he had pulled them away again, blinking rapidly at the distortion to his vision.</p><p>“Fucking hell, I got x-ray vision for a minute there! Do these things come free with a white stick and a Labrador?”</p><p>“Yes, very funny. Now give them back before you damage them.”</p><p>“Calm down, I’m being careful.”</p><p>“I don’t give a shit. I want them back.”</p><p>“Ooh, very precious about our specs, aren’t we?”</p><p>“Yes. Funnily enough, I am quite precious about an item that enables me to see properly. Now hand them over.”</p><p>As Will reached to take his glasses, Jay sprang up and stepped away from the table. He brandished the stolen item teasingly.</p><p>“Come get them.”</p><p>“Don’t be so bloody childish! Just give them back! I can’t see without them!”</p><p>“Oh, okay!” Jay scoffed. “You’re totally blind without your glasses on, are you?”</p><p>“Not totally, obviously! But I do find it unsettling when the entire world around me melds together into one gigantic blur.”</p><p>“Yeah? Well, I wouldn’t want you to feel unsettled…”</p><p>As further evidence that he wasn’t firing on all cylinders, Will naively reached out for the offered glasses, then felt both stupid and irritated when Jay whipped them out of his reach again. He let out an exasperated whine, which was encouragement enough for Jay to bounce away behind some bookshelves.</p><p>“Yoo-hoo! Over ‘ere, Velma!”</p><p>“For fuck’s sake, you attention-seeking little twat!”</p><p>
  <i>“Ooh, my glasses! I can’t see without my glasses!”</i>
</p><p>Will grudging dragged himself out of his chair and pursued the sound of his friend’s mockery. Not being familiar with the library’s layout, Jay quickly found himself trapped in a dead-end. But being caught did nothing to dissuade him from pissing himself laughing at Will’s weak attempts at recovering his stolen property. Jay was taller, stronger and faster, keeping his treasure cupped tightly against his chest as he manoeuvred out of Will’s grasp. After the third time Jay successfully knocked him away, Will threw his hands up in frustration.</p><p>“This is ridiculous! If you don’t give them back right now, I’m telling Simon!”</p><p>He cringed as soon as the ridiculous threat left his mouth. Of course, Jay just laughed even harder, because why wouldn’t he?</p><p>“Oh, no! Not big bad Simon! I’m even less scared of him than I am of you, mate!”</p><p>“Just give them back, you arsehole! You’re going to break them!”</p><p>“Nah, they’re fine. Look.”</p><p>As Jay held the glasses out on the flat of his hand, Will made another lunge for them. Once again, Jay was too quick, holding them high up out of the shorter boy’s reach. Will pounced up a few times to make a grab for them, but soon gave up. He didn’t have the height or the energy for this shit. He stood in front of Jay, arms folded and glaring daggers at the blonde’s grinning face.</p><p>“Look, you’re really starting to piss me off!”</p><p>“I know, and it’s fucking hilarious!”</p><p>“I’m warning you! I’m prepared to take drastic action here!”</p><p>“Oh, yeah? What you gonna do, fight me for ‘em? I’d love to see that!”</p><p>Almost as if Jay’s cackling had spurred a spike of adrenaline in him, Will grabbed the other boy by the shoulders and again tried to bounce high enough to grab the glasses. But again, he failed. His heart continued to sink. He was at a total loss, desperate. Then his eyes fell on Jay’s smirking lips. Before he could really think it through, he was swooping in and kissing them, brief yet firm. He heard a pitched gasp and felt Jay falter. Sensing his chance, Will yanked the other boy’s arm down and snatched his glasses back.</p><p>“Thank you!”</p><p>Ignoring Jay’s slack-jawed expression, Will turned and strutted back to their work area. He flopped down in front of his laptop, using a cloth from his blazer pocket to rub the smudged lenses clean. He focused intently on this mundane task, trying to stave off the hotness threatening to flush his face. Okay, so perhaps that had been an impulsive, juvenile, and properly mental thing to do. But Jay really had left him with no other choice. Right?</p><p>The boy in question eventually returned to the table, moving slowly, his mind as bewildered as the expression on his face. He didn’t sit down. Just stood there, fighting the urge to touch his still-tingling lips as he studied Will warily.</p><p>“What the fuck was that?”</p><p>The softness in Jay’s voice unnerved Will. He hadn’t been entirely sure what reaction to expect, but not this. Maybe for Jay to yell at him, or take the piss? Try to hit him, perhaps? </p><p>No. Not hitting. That wasn’t Jay. He couldn’t. Or wouldn’t. Will wasn’t sure which. </p><p>The silence was starting to weigh heavy, so Will cleared his throat.</p><p>“I’d had enough of your bullshit and I wanted my glasses back.”</p><p>It took Jay a moment to process this simple explanation.</p><p>“But you… fucking kissed me!” Jay snapped back, louder now.</p><p>“Yes, well, you were being an unreasonable fuckhead!” Will responded in kind, strangely reassured by Jay’s annoyance. “It was the only thing I could think of to make you cooperate!”</p><p>“Well, try thinking a bit harder next time, you weirdo! What are you, a bender?”</p><p>Will rolled his eyes. “Of course I am, Jay.”</p><p>“You kiss like a bender!”</p><p>“Oh, really? And how many ‘benders’ have you kissed, exactly?” </p><p>“Just you, you bender!”</p><p>“Look, you were given fair warning. You were royally taking the piss. In fact, what you were doing was akin to bullying.”</p><p>“Bullying? I was just trying to have a laugh with you!”</p><p>“Well, it wasn’t funny! It’s bad enough having the likes of Donovan on my case all day without someone who’s supposed to be my friend doing it too!”</p><p>“Good thing I’m not Donovan, innit? Try copping a snog off him, he’ll fucking kill you.”</p><p>“Well, why haven’t you killed me, since you’re always perpetuating the notion that you’re so hard?”</p><p>“Bet <i>you’re </i>hard after that.”</p><p>“Oh, absolutely! I’m about ready to spunk myself because little blond chavs who incessantly wind me up and steal my personal possessions really get me going! And quite frankly, Jay; I find it hilarious that you have the nerve to call anyone else’s sexuality into question when you’re the one constantly craving attention from other men.”</p><p>A pause followed, and the vexed look on Jay’s face made Will think he’d definitely taken things a step too far. Just as he was about to say as much, Jay seemed to recover.</p><p>“I don’t want any man’s attention. Especially not fucking yours!”</p><p>“Well, try not to look so fucking gleeful when you get it then!”</p><p>Another pause.</p><p>“Don’t flatter yourself, Briefcase.”</p><p>“Are you blushing?”</p><p>“Fuck off! ‘Course I’m not!”</p><p>“Why’s your face gone red then?”</p><p>“Maybe ‘cause I’m pissed off after being mouth-raped by a twat!”</p><p>“Oh, come off it! I barely touched you. Besides, if anyone has the right to be pissed off in this situation, it’s me! You’re the one who’s been pushing my buttons despite knowing fine well what kind of day I’ve had!”</p><p>“I was trying to cheer you up, you touchy joyless cock!” </p><p>“How, exactly? By taking the piss and acting like a clown?”</p><p>“Yes! That’s what I do when my mates feel down, in case you hadn’t noticed! Excuse me for fucking caring!”</p><p>“Oh, please! Caring? Since when have you cared about me? You don’t even fucking like me!”</p><p>“Christ, you really are blind, aren’t you? With or without your stupid fucking glasses.”</p><p>“What does that mean?”</p><p>“Nothing! It doesn’t mean anything, alright?”</p><p>“Then why say it to begin with, if it doesn’t mean anything? You’re seriously confusing me here!”</p><p>“Oh, <i>I’m</i> confusing <i>you</i>? I’m not the one going around, kissing other…”</p><p>Jay trailed off, as if suddenly waking up to where he was and who he was arguing with. He gritted his teeth together, ignoring Will’s probing gaze as he composed himself.</p><p>“Look, we’ve got work to do, yeah? You said it yourself. So let’s just shut up and get it done.”</p><p>He threw himself into his chair, snatching up his pencil and glaring at the poster draft. Will thought about saying something further but decided against it, instead bringing his eyes to stare blankly at his laptop monitor. The minutes ticked by as the pair sat silently, the dust settling on their conflict. Jay’s pencil flicked back and forth as he attacked the page. Not that he was doing anything constructive. Just doodling, trying not to think. It was obvious that Will wasn’t doing any work either. He hadn’t even put his glasses back on. Unlike Jay though, he was deep in thought. At last, Will spoke, his voice soft and regretful.</p><p>“Was that really what you were trying to do?”</p><p>Jay looked up at him, hints of questioning and dread in his eyes.</p><p>“Were you really trying to cheer me up?” Will clarified.</p><p>“Well… yeah.” The forced casualness in Jay’s voice caused it to crack a little. He fidgeted with his pencil, twirling it in his fingers as he considered what to say. “I mean, it’s not like I’m exactly good with words, am I? Like, telling people not to worry, that everything’s gonna be alright, shit like that?”</p><p>“Offering sympathy, you mean?”</p><p>“Yeah. But you looked sad and…” Jay visibly cringed, then straightened up in his chair before continuing. “And it was like, winding me up ‘cause I feel weird around sad people, so… you know?”</p><p>He shrugged, apparently satisfied that he hadn’t let the mask fall too far. But as Will took in his friend’s demeanour, his nervous fiddling and downcast eyes, he saw right through it and smiled.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“What for? Didn’t work, did it?”</p><p>“Not really, but still… thank you. For trying.”</p><p>The gratitude and sincerity in Will’s voice made something deep within Jay’s chest tighten.</p><p>“And, err… sorry, by the way,” Will added.</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“The… you know?”</p><p>The poor twiddled pencil suddenly snapped as Will pointed vaguely at his mouth. Jay surveyed the other boy and couldn’t help but grin at what he saw. Although Will looked somewhat abashed by his actions, he didn’t appear particularly apologetic.</p><p>“It’s whatever.” Jay said, sounding a lot cooler than he felt. “Can’t say I blame you, anyway. I mean, look at me. Fucking irresistible.”</p><p>Will chuckled, his eyes following Jay’s hands as he theatrically gestured at his own face and torso. </p><p>“Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”</p><p>The words left Will’s lips before he had a chance to think them through. He was hoping Jay wouldn’t catch the mortification that flashed across his face but judging by the blonde’s cocky smirk and raised eyebrow, he’d had no such luck.</p><p>There had been a clear shift in mood, though what the new mood consisted of was anyone’s guess. As Will tried to consider what it all meant, Jay reached across the table and started tinkering with his glasses again. Eying the broken pencil halves in concern, Will was about to voice a protest when Jay beat him to it.</p><p>“You ever thought about contact lenses?”</p><p>“I’m not allowed to wear them.”</p><p>“Says who?”</p><p>“Says my optometrist. Why?”</p><p>“It’s just you… you look better without… Well, I mean, not better, really. Just… different. Like, good different.”</p><p>Although Jay’s eyes were trained on his face, Will had no idea what information his expression could have given away in response to that… compliment? He wasn’t sure what to think, the whole meaning of the mood-shift still very much eluding him. Perhaps he was seeking out an explanation where none existed. Although judging by the pleased smile on Jay’s face, he knew more than Will did at this point.</p><p>They watched each other wordlessly for a moment longer before Jay gently knocked the glasses onto the carpeted floor between them. Will lurched forward in his chair in a failed attempt to catch them.</p><p>“Oi! Be careful with-”</p><p>His scolding was cut short. Somehow, Jay had met him in the middle, catching his face in cupped palms and bringing their mouthes together again. Almost reflexively, Will clasped his hands around Jay’s wrists, gently holding them in place. This time, the kiss was deeper. No tongue, just a firm rhythmic pressing of the lips, but more than enough to set butterflies whirling within their bellies.</p><p>The awkward angle they were at, both seated with the circular table edge pressing into their sides, brought the kiss to an end much quicker than either of them would have liked. Hazel eyes met chocolate-brown ones as they parted, and both boys chuckled awkwardly. Jay suddenly busied himself recovering Will’s glasses from the floor. The air felt tense, Will realised. But it was a pleasant kind of tension, like the anticipatory climb to the summit of a rollercoaster. Jay handed the glasses over without fanfare this time, which Will felt strangely disappointed by.</p><p>“So, was that another shot at cheering me up?” he quipped.</p><p>Jay grinned coyly. “Dunno, maybe. Why, did it work?”</p><p>Returning the smile, Will opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by three short consecutive rings of the school bell. Their roving librarian chose this moment to pop her head around the corner, tapping her watch pointedly. If she thought there was anything untoward about their proximity to each other then she didn’t show it, but both boys leaned back in their chairs anyway. They acknowledged her with a nod and set about packing up as she disappeared again. </p><p>As he placed his belongings neatly into his briefcase, Will noted the way Jay carelessly stuffed his own things into his backpack and smiled to himself. </p><p>“Well, as nice as this has been, the library’s closing and we still have our project to do.”</p><p>Jay shrugged as both boys got to their feet. “Suppose you’ll just have to come round mine. So we can continue.”</p><p>Trying desperately not to latch onto any innuendo and failing miserably, Will felt his face flush as he met Jay’s curious gaze.</p><p>“I thought we agreed that you get too distracted at home.”</p><p>“Have you not noticed, Briefcase?”</p><p>“Noticed what?”</p><p>As Jay stepped into his personal space, Will felt a warm shiver run through his body and was sure he saw Jay shudder too.</p><p>“I’m always distracted.” Jay said softly. “Especially when you’re around.”</p><p>Before Will could respond, Jay pressed one more kiss to his lips, long enough to feel that the heat from the other boy’s face was reflecting that of his own. Once again their parting felt too soon, punctuated by an exchange of shy smiles as they both nodded towards the library exit.</p>
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